SPAGHETTI OCEAN

Royal Court Theatre, Jerwood Theatre Upstairs as part of the Live Lunch Season

"Which one of us looks more Italian now?'

Rachel has a career, a boyfriend and a life in New York City, until she tweets the wrong thing. Fired from her job, Rachel must move back in with her ambitious mother, Barb, in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Although Rachel’s promised herself that she’ll never become her Mother, her only option to get back on her feet is to work for Barb’s pasta factory, Ocean Pasta Inc.

Barb seizes the opportunity in having Rachel back as a way to transform her pasta factory into an 'authentic' Italian-American family business. To Barb, being Italian means looking like a family but Rachel doesn't have the Palumbo family look. As Rachel strives for her Mother’s approval, she eats to transform and become part of the family.

With the help of Dino, a local restaurateur and self-styled Frank Sinatra impersonator, Rachel sets out on a journey to make it big in her small town.

But how big is big enough to find the American Dream today?

PERFORMANCE HISTORY:

Reading at Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, Royal Court Theatre

1.15pm 3rd October 2014

cREATIVE tEAM:

DIRECTED BY DEBBIE HANNAN

Rachel Palumbo - Kate O’Flynn

Barb Palumbo- Maureen Beattie

Steve / Alex - Obi Abili

Dino - Howard Ward

More details on the Live Lunch Season from Royal Court Theatre:

A season of new plays by up-and-coming writers will be performed live as lunchtime readings every Friday over 6 weeks.

The six promising writers were all part of a Royal Court writers group who were challenged to write a completely new play, from scratch, in one summer.

The writers Luke Barnes, Clara Brennan, Sarah Kosar, Nessah Muthy, May Sumbwanyambe and Chris Thompson worked together over the last five weeks in a new collaborative format, sharing ideas, reviewing each other’s work and going to museums and galleries for inspiration.

Associate Director of the Royal Court Theatre, Lucy Morrison said:

“I believe writers need an outlet to express something immediate, free from the time-lag that a full production can bring. These writers have courageously put any ideas they came with to one side to come up with something completely new. They have searched their souls and trusted their talent to write a play to be shared with a live audience in a matter of weeks.”